Advantages & Disadvantages. Merits & Flaws. Edges & Hindrances. Are they helpful to a game? A vampire and a college professor debate the pros and cons.

Panelists:
Lord Connor Shadowbane
Solomon Eldridge, Professor of Anthropology at Miskatonic University

NOTE:
There will be a slight delay as I deal with Christmahannukwanzaayuladanivus, after which there will be more debates forthcoming!

Is it a bad thing for player characters to kill or should it be perfectly acceptable?  An archwizard and a superhero take up arms over the issue.

Panelists:
Archwizard Avan Brightstar, Vizier to the Elven Court of Neverrest
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force

When PCs fight each other, does everyone lose or is it just another way to get their game on?  A necromancer and a samurai square off on the subject.

Panelists:
Baron Thandor Karn of the Dark Basin
Masato Nakajima, Samurai to the Court of Orange Blossoms

What dangers lurk beneath the waves?  And what the heck is an aspidochelone?  Our intrepid panelists -- a pirate captain and a cleric -- slyly skirt around these questions and many more about underwater adventures!

Panelists:
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford

Are pre-written adventures a useful tool or do they do nothing but force PCs down a pre-determined track?  A college professor and a government agent tackle the issue of who's really in the driver's seat when modules come into play.

Panelists:
Solomon Eldridge, Professor of Anthropology at Miskatonic University
Special Agent Jack McCandless

CONTEST!
The character suggestion contest is over.  Thanks very much for your entries!  I announce the winner after the debate.

Shoutout & Promo:
RPGPodcasts.com

Is trying to make a character as powerful as possible a good thing or a bad thing?  A wizard and a bounty hunter flex their intellectual muscles over the subject.

Panelists:
Archwizard Avan Brightstar, Vizier to the Elven Court of Neverrest
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax

Intro by Stu, Tappy & Stork of Happy Jack's RPG Podcast

CONTEST!
Only one day left for the character suggestion contest - it ends November 5th!  E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Shoutout & Song:
Beatnik Turtle - The Song of the Day Dot Com

Are good and evil absolutes for your PCs or do your characters see things in shades of grey?  A superhero and a pirate tackle the issue of anti-heroes in RPGs.

Panelists:
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood

Intro by J.C. Hutchins

CONTEST!
Just one week to go on the character suggestion contest!  E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Shoutout & Promo:
The Gamer's Haven Podcast

The idea of warfare as a theme in RPGs is kicked about, pummeled and salivated over by our panelists.  A cleric and a fighter pilot wage war over the concept of waging war.

Panelists:
Major Hal Cross of the Interstellar Fleet (voiced by David Selby)
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford

CONTEST!
E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Promo:
7th Son: Descent

Our resident bounty hunter clashes with our resident cyber-hacker over the issue of animals in role-playing games.  What's the best way to use them, if at all?

Panelists:
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax
Reflux (Live via the Neural Net)

Shoutout & Promo:
Eddy Webb - The Whitechapel Project

Some like to search every nook and cranny of a room and strip-search every fallen foe while others prefer to just move on.  A pirate and a demonologist talk about the practice of looting in RPGs!

Panelists:
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood
Reverend Jedediah Black, Demonologist

Shoutout & Promo:
J.C. Hutchins - 7th Son & Personal Effects

How bad are evil PCs?  Really bad?  Or just a little bad?  Should they even be allowed?  Our panelists - a superhero and an undead necromancer - have a little chat about it.

Panelists:
Baron Thandor Karn of the Dark Basin
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force

Shoutout & Promo:
Starla Huchton - The Dreamer's Thread

Are random encounters a good idea for a campaign or should everything be plotted out?  A fantasy priest and a government agent roll the dice and find out.

Panelists:
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford
Special Agent Jack McCandless

Shoutout & Promo:
Anim5 - Solid Symbols

Here's a shorter version of the Captain Payne Promo -- it's the end section, in which he addresses the listener, by itself -- should anyone need something a bit more brief.

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I've put together a new promo for The Great Debate! featuring Captain Payne, in which we get a little peek at what life in his game setting is like.  Feel free to download and distribute it in good health! :)

Ever have your PCs dumped in the ancient past or a far-flung future?  Can that kind of thing even fit into a game?  Two panelists from opposite ends of the historical spectrum discuss the use of time travel in a role-playing game.

Panelists:
Major Hal Cross of the Interstellar Fleet (voiced by David Selby)
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax